方便是真方便,但我们是不是被App“拿捏”了?

方便是真方便，但我们是不是被App“拿捏”了？Apps Make Life Easy—but Are They Quietly Running Our Lives?

1.Do you use apps to decide what to eat or watch?

Yes, I rely on them constantly. When I’m hungry or bored, I just open a delivery or streaming app and choose from the “Recommended for You” section. It’s incredibly convenient, but I’ve noticed my choices are becoming repetitive. To avoid this, I’ve started having “no-algorithm days” and deliberately searching for new cuisines or film genres. It’s a way to remind myself that I should control my preferences, not AI.

你会用应用程序来决定吃什么或看什么吗？

会，我经常依赖它们。当我饿了或无聊时，我就打开外卖或流媒体应用，从“为你推荐”板块里挑选。这非常方便，但我注意到自己的选择正变得越来越重复。为了避免这种情况，我开始实行“无算法日”，刻意搜索新的菜系或电影类型。这是一种提醒自己的方式：应该由我掌控自己的偏好，而不是AI。

2.Do you use navigation apps for directions even when going somewhere nearby?

I do, just to check real-time traffic or estimate arrival times. But last month, my phone died while I was walking to my favorite bookstore – a place I’ve visited countless times– and suddenly I felt that I was lost. I realized that relying on GPS had weakened my mental map. Now I try to navigate from memory first and use GPS only as a backup.

即使去附近的地方，你也会用导航应用指路吗？

会，只是为了查看实时交通或估算到达时间。但上个月，我走路去我最喜欢的书店——一个我去过无数次的地方——时手机没电了，突然间我觉得自己迷路了。我意识到依赖GPS削弱了我的心理地图。现在我先尝试凭记忆导航，只把GPS当作备用。

3.Do you use apps for simple tasks (e.g. elementary calculation)?

Almost every time. Even for simple math like splitting a 135-yuan bill among three friends, I immediately reach for my phone’s calculator. I can feel my mental arithmetic getting rusty. Sometimes I even second-guess myself when adding two-digit numbers! Now I force myself to do the math in my head first, then use the app to check. It’s like a mini-workout for my brain to keep that basic skill alive.

你会用应用程序完成简单任务（例如基础计算）吗？

几乎每次都会。甚至像把135元的账单分给三个朋友这样简单的数学，我也会立刻拿起手机计算器。我能感觉到自己的心算能力在生锈。有时我甚至在做两位数加法时都会怀疑自己！现在我强迫自己先心算，然后用应用核对。这就像给大脑做一次小型锻炼，让这项基本技能保持活力。

4.Do you believe information you see online without checking it?

Unfortunately, yes– especially when scrolling quickly through social media. If an article looks professional or is shared by an influencer I follow, I tend to accept it easily. I learned my lesson the hard way when I shared a “breaking news” story that turned out to be completely made up. The embarrassment taught me to pause and check reliable sources before hitting the share button. Critical thinking is essential in an age where misinformation spreads so fast.

你会不核实就相信网上看到的信息吗？

不幸的是，会——尤其是在快速刷社交媒体时。如果一篇文章看起来很专业，或者是我关注的影响者分享的，我很容易接受。我是在分享了一则“突发新闻”后发现它完全是编造的，才痛苦地吸取了教训。那次尴尬教会我在按下分享按钮前停下来核实可靠来源。在虚假信息传播如此之快的时代，批判性思维至关重要。

5.Do you often forget how to write some words by hand?

All the time, especially with complex Chinese characters. Since we mostly type using Pinyin input, the phone suggests the characters for us, so we don’t need to remember the exact strokes. Just last week, I couldn’t remember how to write “embarrassment” in Chinese – I knew the pronunciation but completely forgot the character structure. To counter it, I’ve started keeping a handwritten journal every Sunday, which also gives me a chance to slow down and focus.

你经常忘记一些字怎么手写吗？

经常，尤其是复杂的汉字。因为我们大多用拼音输入法打字，手机会替我们提示汉字，所以我们不需要记住确切的笔画。就在上周，我记不得“尴尬”的中文怎么写——我知道发音，但完全忘了字形结构。为了对抗这一点，我开始每周日写手写日记，这也让我有机会慢下来并集中注意力。

6.Do you feel upset if your social media posts get few likes or shares?

I hate to admit it, but yes. After posting a photo, I often find myself refreshing the page every few minutes to check the likes. When the number stays low, I feel disappointed and sometimes even delete the post. It made me realize that I was caring too much about online approval rather than genuine self-expression. Now I’m trying to focus more on real-world interactions, reminding myself that a conversation with a close friend matters more than a hundred virtual likes.

如果你的社交媒体帖子获赞或转发很少，你会难过吗？

我不想承认，但会。发了一张照片后，我经常发现自己每隔几分钟就刷新页面查看点赞数。当数字一直很低时，我会感到失望，有时甚至删掉帖子。这让我意识到自己太在意线上认可，而不是真正的自我表达。现在我正努力更多关注现实生活中的互动，提醒自己与密友的一次交谈比一百个虚拟点赞更重要。

7.What do you usually do on your social media accounts?

I mostly post photos from trips, meals, or weekends with friends – basically the highlights. I also follow artists and food bloggers for inspiration. It functions like a visual diary, though I try to keep the tone upbeat and positive.

I’m more of a lurker – I rarely share personal updates. I mainly use platforms to follow news, memes, and hobby groups like photography or study communities. For me, it’s an information tool, not a stage for sharing my private life

你通常在社交媒体账号上做什么？我主要发布旅行、美食或和朋友共度周末的照片——基本上都是精彩瞬间。我也会关注艺术家和美食博主以获取灵感。它就像一本视觉日记，不过我尽量保持基调积极向上。

我更像是潜水者——很少分享个人动态。我主要用平台关注新闻、梗图和兴趣小组，比如摄影或学习社群。对我来说，它是信息工具，而不是分享私生活的舞台。

8. Do you feel happy when you have more followers? Do you feel a sense of satisfaction when you receive “likes” and “shares”?

Honestly, yes – it does give me a small confidence boost when the numbers go up. It feels like people appreciate my content. However, I have to remind myself that my value isn’t determined by an algorithm or a like count.

Not particularly. My account is private and limited to close friends. While their support is nice, it doesn’t really swing my mood either way. I prefer face-to-face conversations to digital applause.

粉丝更多时你会开心吗？收到“点赞”和“转发”时你会有满足感吗？

说实话，会——数字上升时确实会给我一点信心提升。感觉人们欣赏我的内容。不过，我必须提醒自己，我的价值不是由算法或点赞数决定的。

不太会。我的账号是私密的，只限亲密朋友。虽然他们的支持很好，但并不会真正左右我的情绪。相比数字掌声，我更喜欢面对面交谈。

9.What is your image on social media? Do you have problems maintaining your image? What are they?

I try to project a cheerful, adventurous persona. The downside is that I overthink every post – spending ages editing photos or only sharing the “good” moments. It becomes exhausting and feels increasingly fake.

I keep things real and post randomly without much editing. The trade-off is that my feed looks messy compared to those highly polished profiles, which occasionally makes me feel inadequate or boring. But at least it’s stress-free and doesn’t cost me too much time.

你在社交媒体上的形象是什么？你在维持形象方面有困难吗？困难是什么？我试图展现一个开朗、爱冒险的人设。缺点是，我对每条帖子都想得太多——花很长时间修图，或者只分享“美好”的时刻。这变得令人疲惫，也越来越觉得虚假。我保持真实，随机发布，不太修图。代价是，与那些高度精致的个人主页相比，我的动态看起来杂乱，这偶尔让我感到不够好或无聊。但至少它没有压力，也不会花费我太多时间。

10. What suggestions do you have for young people about using social media?

Remember that social media usually shows highlights, not daily reality. Don’t compare your normal, behind-the-scenes life to someone else’s carefully selected best moments. Your worth isn’t measured by social media.

Treat it as a tool for genuine connection, not a performance stage. Follow content that truly educates or inspires you, not what merely looks impressive. Most importantly, schedule regular digital detoxes– offline experiences and real friendships matter far more than online applause.

对于年轻人使用社交媒体，你有什么建议？

记住社交媒体通常展示的是精彩瞬间，而不是日常现实。不要把你的正常、幕后生活与别人精心挑选的最佳时刻相比较。你的价值不是由社交媒体衡量的。把它当作真正连接的工具，而不是表演舞台。关注真正能教育或启发你的内容，而不只是看起来令人印象深刻的内容。最重要的是，安排定期的数字排毒——线下体验和真实友谊远比线上掌声重要得多。